I ran my hand over the cool, damp earth of the wall, still reeling from the sheer scale of the underground chamber. "What... what are we going to do here?" I asked, looking around the vast, empty space. "We'll only be on Earth for another month, right?"
The robot, ever the pragmatist, shrugged. "Probably longer than that, if we wanted to be. The timeframe is somewhat flexible, depending on various parameters."
I frowned, confused. "What do you mean, 'flexible'? Birdman said a month. That's it."
He simply gave a knowing look. "Even if our stay were strictly limited, this place will come in handy, Mitsuo. Trust me."
I just nodded, still a little lost. It was clear he had a grand plan, one that stretched far beyond my limited human comprehension of "a month."
"So," he began, gesturing around the cavern with a sweeping hand, "we need to make this place... functional. What do you think? Ideas?"
I looked around the raw, earthy space. "Well, it's pretty dirty," I started, then grinned. "We should put planks everywhere, right? So it's not all muddy. And lights! Lots of lights! It's so dark down here."
"Lots of lights, huh? Yeah you're right," he replied, a rare note of genuine approval in his voice. "Perhaps LED strips along the ceiling, and some adjustable task lamps for specific workstations."
"Workstations?" I blinked. "What kind of workstations?"
He began to pace, his voice picking up speed, painting a vivid picture of the future hideout. "We'll need large computer screens, of course. Multiple monitors for simultaneous data analysis. High-speed internet access – satellite, perhaps, to ensure maximum bandwidth and security. Laptops for portability. Headsets for encrypted communication. A robust power supply, naturally. Maybe a small, self-contained living area for when we're working long hours. And certainly, a fully stocked pantry. You seem to have a fondness for expensive snacks, so we'll need plenty of those." He paused, looking at me with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Perhaps even a small, specialized gym area for maintaining your physical conditioning, though that's a lower priority."
I stared at him, my jaw hanging open. Computers? Satellites? Gyms? This wasn't just a hideout; it was a high-tech fortress. I had no idea what he planned to do with all this, but it was clear he was thinking big. Really, really big. It made my earlier concerns about ..... seem trivial, almost childish.
"I... I don't know what we'll need all that for," I admitted, shaking my head in awe. "But I know you're going to do something amazing. I'll leave everything to you, Robot."
He nodded, a look of profound satisfaction on his face. "Consider it handled."
Then, a new worry surfaced. "But... how are we going to get all the money for this? I mean, all those computers, the satellite stuff... it's going to cost a fortune! And Birdman..." I trailed off, the grim reality of our situation dawning on me. "If we just start spending huge amounts of money, even if it's from using Perman's powers for good, Birdman will know. He'll come and take you away, won't he?" The thought sent a chill down my spine. The last thing I wanted was for him to leave.
The robot chuckled, a low, confident sound that echoed in the cavern. "Birdman won't notice, Mitsuo. He doesn't monitor Perman's activities twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. His surveillance is... intermittent. He focuses on major violations, not every single financial transaction." He then winked, a surprisingly human gesture. "Besides, if Birdman were to monitor anyone closely, it would be you, Mitsuo. You're the actual Perman. I'm just your humble copy. And I'll be doing all the actual acquiring of resources. Any discrepancies will point to me, an unregistered anomaly, not to you, his designated hero."
My eyes widened. "Oh," I breathed, a sudden realization dawning on me. "That means... deception."
He grinned, a truly wicked, human grin. "Ah, you're learning faster."